Green Mountain-Chapter 602 - 459: Kill Them All

The 32nd year of Jianing, April 21.

Favorable for proposals, alliances, opening markets, hanging plaques, building bridges, and marriages.

Unfavorable for fasting, funerals, groundbreaking, and acquiring property.

The sky was just getting light.

Over twenty miles east of Baidadan City, along the mountain path, dozens of mules were tied to birch trees. Beside the mules was a campfire that was about to extinguish, emitting white smoke.

A layer of soft pine needles covered the campfire, and it was unclear what method Hong Zuer used, but the fire had yet to go out completely.

Some people slept in their clothes by the campfire. When the birds in the forest began to chirp, Hong Zuer was the first to open his eyes and got up. He kicked Ah Sheng on the buttocks: "Go cut grass to feed the livestock."

Ah Sheng responded with a "hey," energetically picked up the sickle, and walked deep into the mountain woods. It seemed that these days of roughing it outdoors weren’t a big deal for him.

Hong Zuer poked the campfire, grabbed a handful of dry leaves, threw them in, and blew a few breaths on the ground. Watching the fire rekindle, he didn’t start working but instead looked to the other side.

On the other side of the campfire, Chen Ji and Zhang Xia opened their eyes at the same time and sat up together.

Hong Zuer quietly watched as Chen Ji got up, casually pulled Zhang Xia up, and then went to the mule’s back to get the water flask, coarse salt, and willow twigs.

Each of them took a mouthful of water, rinsed their mouths together, and then spat it out together.

Chen Ji split two willow twigs into brushes, dipped them in some coarse salt, and handed one to Zhang Xia. Then the two squatted on the ground side by side, using the twigs to clean their teeth.

Finally, they each took another sip of water, lifted their heads, bubbled air up from their throats, and then spat on the ground together.

Zhang Xia turned to size up Chen Ji, tidied up his wrinkled clothes, and patted the dust off him.

She pulled out Chen Ji’s hair topknot and helped him gather his hair neatly: "You’re all set."

Hong Zuer nodded: "Now it looks like you have a bit of a couple’s appearance."

Zhang Xia smiled: "No need to worry, Hong Ye. We won’t hold you back."

"That’s good," Hong Zuer said slowly, "We’ll reach Baidadan City by tonight, but go ten miles further, and you’ll see the Jing Dynasty Military Camp. Do not be careless; when the Jing Dynasty border army doesn’t fight, they farm at the camp. The farmers you see later are their border army, a single slip of the tongue, and it’s serious."

Chen Ji nodded: "Understood."

They left Chongli Pass on the fourth day of the fourth month and parted ways with Third Master Hu on the same day. The convoy continued north, while they led the mule team east, entering deeply into the Jing Dynasty’s heartland, pretending to travel from the eastern Liaoyang Prefecture to Baidadan City.

Along the way, they didn’t encounter the Life-catcher General, nor did they encounter Jing Dynasty scouts. The originally tight scout line vanished, as if the southern gates of the Jing Dynasty had been wide open.

Hong Zuer sighed: "These people will stop at nothing to prevent the envoys from moving south. If the Imperial Three Camps were advancing north, they might not be discovered until they reached Baidadan City."

At this time, Xiao Man and the little monk also got ready and sat by the campfire, slowly eating their biscuits.

Hong Zuer, sitting by the campfire, said in a deep voice: "Zhou Qing, recite your background."

Zhou Qing was the name on Xiao Man’s travel permit.

Xiao Man responded without thinking: "I am Zhou Qing, from Ande Square in Liaoyang Prefecture. I am seventeen this year. My parents died early, and you, being my uncle, are taking me and my brother to Baidadan City to transport grain for a living. My brother and I live in a hutong at Ande Square, outside which has a Wang’s tailor shop. Next to it is a Wang’s gold shop, both owned by the same boss..."

Hong Zuer nodded: "Burn your paper."

Xiao Man took out a crumpled, yellowed piece of paper from his sleeve and tossed it into the campfire.

Hong Zuer glanced at Zhang Xia: "You don’t need to," then looked at Chen Ji, "What about you?"

Chen Ji replied calmly: "I am Zhou Sheng, from Anle Square in Liaoyang Prefecture, eighteen this year. My family held a hereditary county barony, but when my grandfather was a centurion in the army, the main general was killed in battle, leading the court to strip him of his title, causing family decline. Now, with you, a distant cousin by marriage, we’re running grain routes doing small business to support our family. My wife Zhang Xiguang and I live in a lane in Anle Square, outside which has a breakfast shop with delicious buns..."

Hong Zuer listened for a moment: "No problem, you can also throw your paper into the fire now."

He then proceeded to ask Zhang Baishi and the little monk about their backgrounds one by one, ensuring they all memorized their identities, then told them to burn their papers to avoid being discovered by city guards.

Finally, Hong Zuer calmly said: "I am Zhou Zhixue, from Ande Square in Liaoyang Prefecture, forty-two years old this year. Originally, I was a military household responsible for logistics with the Left Guard. Later, a childhood friend from my hometown became a Chiliarch in the Right Brave Guard, so I relied on him to get a grain transport business..."

Hong Zuer was strict with others, demanding daily recitation, and held himself to the same standard.

After finishing his recitation, he used a branch to poke the campfire, ensuring every piece of paper was burned to ashes.

Zhang Baishi remarked: "No wonder Third Master Hu can do business in the Jing Dynasty. Just based on these things he provided, he practically knows Liaoyang Prefecture like the back of his hand. We’re Night Patrol, but even Eunuch Party’s Spy Department might not have such capabilities."

Chen Ji nonchalantly commented: "They’ve been running cargo through Chongli Pass for many years. What kind of goods?"

Hong Zuer shook his head: "Nothing special, just silk and tea. They’re very cautious, never doing anything taboo, never arguing with anyone, and instead, they’ve helped many people."

Chen Ji was curious: "Then why can they leave Chongli Pass?"

Hong Zuer chuckled: "Over the years, they’ve brought all the borderline people of Chongli Pass together. Without them, what would the Chongli Pass soldiers eat? They’re allowed out of Chongli Pass because the General agreed. Also, Third Master Hu is extraordinary; he’s a Hu family member. He carries weight in the border army. He’s also lived in Guyuan, and among soldiers, there’s an inherent camaraderie... I also heard, when the current General of Chongli Pass was impeached a couple of years ago, Third Master Hu helped by smoothing things over in the Imperial Capital."

He patted his trousers and stood up: "Let me remind everyone, if you encounter Jing Dynasty nobles, be sure to salute. If you see their carriage, you must kneel. Since deciding to undertake this grand venture, don’t think your own face is worth much. We don’t have gold under our knees, but we can trade enemy heads for gold. Let’s go; we need to get into the city before sunset."

Xiao Man curiously asked: "What if we can’t infiltrate Baidadan City, and something goes wrong? Does Hong Ye have any backup plans?"

Hong Zuer responded in a casual tone: "Not everything can have a fallback. Without taking risks, you’ll never succeed. If we’re discovered, then we face death."

Chen Ji went to untie the mules, and the group loaded bag after bag of grain onto them. He set aside one mule, helped Zhang Xia onto its back, and whispered: "You’ve worn out your feet in straw shoes; ride the mule today."

Zhang Xia didn’t argue, only smiling as she gently agreed.

Hong Zuer gave him a sidelong look: "With one less mule, there are eight hundred pounds of grain without a carrier. What, are you going to carry it yourself?"

Chen Ji smiled and replied, "Just divide it among the other mules; a few of the strongest ones can carry an extra bag of grain each. After all, it’s the last day, and there will be time for them to fatten up once we reach Baidadan City. If we can’t distribute it evenly among the mules, I’ll carry it myself."

Hong Zuer snorted coldly but did not say more.

Chen Ji led the mules up the mountain path while Zhang Xia watched his back, silently reciting the scriptures of the Shrouding Cloud.

Xiao Man glanced at Zhang Xia and Chen Ji’s backs, then at the mule beside her.

The little monk looked into her eyes and quickly said, "You can’t do that, the mules are already loaded with stuff."

Xiao Man rolled her eyes, "Why don’t you say you’ll carry it?"

The little monk’s face turned bitter, "This humble monk can’t lift it!"

Xiao Man led her mule outward, but at that moment, hurried footsteps sounded behind them, just over a hundred steps away.

Chen Ji and Hong Zuer exchanged glances, their bodies immediately tensing.

Hong Zuer whispered, "Stay calm. People walking won’t be anyone important, maybe just passing villagers. Just keep walking boldly; the more open we appear, the less likely we’ll raise suspicion."

He added, "Remember, everything we memorized on the way cannot be wrong."

Chen Ji led the mule forward, but then heard someone shout loudly from behind, "In front, stop there!"

Hong Zuer squinted as he looked back, spotting more than ten Jing Dynasty armored soldiers with spears in pursuit.

Behind these soldiers, dozens of armored soldiers escorted an elderly man with white hair, accompanied by a woman in her twenties with an extraordinary noble Phoenix bun, wearing a vibrant gown.

The gown was peculiar, as if woven from the feathers of a hundred birds.

From a distance, the woman’s gown appeared bright yellow, but as she walked into the shadows cast by the trees, its color turned to dark red.

Hong Zuer felt a chill in his heart and exchanged a glance with Zhang Baishi.

An envoy?

A princess?

If it’s really an envoy and a princess, they should have been on the official road. How did we meet them on this mountain path? But if she’s not a princess, no one would dare wear a bright yellow dress.

Hong Zuer felt tempted. He had thought of ambushing the Jing Dynasty envoy on the way, but since it’s a peace envoy, and with the Jing Dynasty Emperor’s favorite Princess Liyang in the team, how could there be no Central Forbidden Army accompanying them?

Moreover, it is very likely that the Imperial Guard accompanies them, along with experts of the Seeking Dao Realm as guards.

So he thought over and over again that the best assassination method would be poisoning within Baidadan City.

Chen Ji saw Hong Zuer’s tense body and his heart tightened. If Hong Zuer acted here, it would likely result in many deaths.

Eventually, as the armored soldiers approached, Hong Zuer let go of his tension, knelt beside the road with the mule, and said, "We didn’t know we would encounter esteemed ones, please forgive us."

Chen Ji helped Zhang Xia off the horse, kneeling beside Hong Zuer and mimicking him, "Please forgive us, esteemed ones!"

Sixteen armored soldiers surrounded the seven of them, even placing long spears against their backs, the cold iron piercing through their clothes and into their spines.

Chen Ji’s mind raced.

Strange.

This group looked extremely bedraggled, their boots were all muddy.

If it were really Princess Liyang and the envoy, how could they not even have a carriage? Where did their horses go?

What happened to them?

At this time, the elder and the woman approached, and a loud voice reminded, "Your Highness, Sir, don’t come closer yet, be careful it might be another impersonating assassin."

Chen Ji’s heart stirred; it really was the envoy’s team.

And judging by the voice, they seem to have encountered more than one group of assassins, no wonder they are in such a state.

Who arranged the assassins, Lu Jin?

If it was Lu Jin’s Death Soldiers who failed, it can only mean the envoy’s team must have a Grand Official from the Seeking Dao Realm, experts among them.

Chen Ji and the others knelt, not daring to raise their heads, only hearing the elder hoarsely say, "Check first."

The previous loud voice came to Chen Ji, "Stand up straight, hands out."

Chen Ji stood up, obediently extending his hands.

He watched as a middle-aged man with a dark and stern expression rubbed his rough fingers over his hands, "Reporting to Your Highness, these are hands used for heavy labor, no traces of weapon use."

The middle-aged man went to Hong Zuer, "Hands out!"

Hong Zuer extended his hands honestly, "Esteemed ones, we are people from Liaoyang Prefecture, transporting grain here, we mean no harm."

The elder’s expression was indifferent, "Whether you mean harm is for us to decide."

Hong Zuer hurriedly said, "Yes, it’s up to you, sir."

The middle-aged man examined, turned, and cupped his fists, "Sir, no problem."

The elder nodded, hoarsely saying, "Kill them all."